Chapter 36: Director's Favor

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“Did I really act that well?”

Gu Qing felt an indescribable sense of strangeness.

If you said the statement was wrong, the variety show was indeed scripted.

But to take the statement as a genuine compliment?

No matter how he heard it, it felt awkward.

Thinking of the most famous nickname of this "Baozi" (Bun) in his past life, Gu Qing felt a sense of relief.

Zhao Xiaodao—the name truly lived up to its reputation!

“Thank you. I’ve also watched you in *Boss & Me*; the drama was very good.”

Gu Qing shook hands with Zhao Liying, offering simple pleasantries.

“Alright, we still need to do the costume fitting. Say goodbye to Liying first,” Li Li interjected from the side.

“Goodbye, Senior,” Gu Qing said politely.

“Just call me Liying. ‘Senior’ feels too formal,” Zhao Liying replied without any airs of celebrity, leaving with her assistant.

Once the people had left, the smile on Li Li’s face vanished instantly. Her words became sharp and snobbish. “Qingqing, in the future, stay away from that stupid girl when you're not filming. Don't let her filth rub off on you.”

“I really don't understand how someone with her level of EQ manages to survive in the entertainment industry.”

“No wonder netizens call her tacky and dim-witted. I can't tell if she's acting or just being fake!”

“...”

Gu Qing was stunned; even he wasn't used to the speed at which his manager could change her expression.

Well, this was the real entertainment industry.

“Sister Li, let’s go to the costume fitting first. Don't be angry.”

Gu Qing wouldn't blame his manager for looking out for his interests.

As for whether Zhao Liying could survive in the industry, he knew the truth quite well.

In the future, this woman would become incredibly successful in the domestic entertainment circle.

She could be considered the most resilient among the "85 Flowers" generation!

She had the works, she had the popularity, and her fan loyalty was exceptionally high.

She could even carve out a path in the film industry, collaborating with various great directors; she was truly an undisputed top-tier female artist.

……

Arriving at the dressing room specially prepared for him by the crew, Gu Qing enjoyed the benefits of his status in his very first production.

“Sister Xu, should I start the makeup directly?” Gu Qing asked casually as he sat in the chair before the mirror.

“It’s not that easy. The makeup needs to coordinate with the costumes. Change into the clothes the crew prepared for you first,” Sister Xu said with a smile, pointing to the wardrobe nearby.

“Okay.”

Gu Qing casually picked out a black robe. Just as he was about to change, he suddenly felt eyes on his back.

He turned around to see three pairs of bright, staring eyes looking straight at him.

“How am I supposed to change if you don't leave?” Gu Qing drove them out directly.

He never thought that one day, he would experience the shock of being "ogled" through the eyes of young women.

“Handsome boy, wait a moment, handsome boy!”

At that moment, a middle-aged woman with short hair and a professional look walked into the room, speaking with a hint of Hong Kong-accented Mandarin.

Upon seeing who it was, Li Li’s expression shifted instantly.

“Oh! Director Lin, what brings you here?”

In an instant, Li Li’s smile bloomed like a flower. She stepped forward to greet her with extreme enthusiasm, a stark contrast to the fake smile she had shown Zhao Liying.

The newcomer was none other than Lin Yufen, one of the directors of *The Journey of Flower*!

A "true grandmaster" among television directors in the industry!

She had directed countless hit dramas!

Among her famous works in mainland China were the *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio* series, Hu Ge's 2008 *Legend of the Condor Heroes* and *Chinese Paladin 3*, and later *The Journey of Flower*, *Wu Xin: The Monster Killer*, *Eternal Love*, and *Love O2O*...

She was essentially a walking hit-making machine!

Even if Lin Yufen hadn't directed those later hits, *Chinese Paladin 3* alone was enough to cement her status in the industry.

A powerful director, and a female one at that—she was at the top of the entertainment industry's food chain!

It was no wonder Li Li acted this way.

“Handsome boy, you haven't done your costume fitting yet, have you?”

As a graduate of the Central Academy of Drama, Director Lin’s Mandarin was very fluent, with only a slight accent.

After briefly dealing with the manager, Director Lin focused her gaze on Gu Qing’s face.

The more she looked, the more delighted she became.

This was truly a "face" bestowed by the heavens!

*The Journey of Flower* was co-directed by three directors, each responsible for filming a specific romantic storyline.

After seeing Gu Qing's photos and clips from the variety show, Lin Yufen had proactively volunteered to film his romantic arc.

“Handsome boy, for this drama, I specially commissioned four custom outfits for you. They will change according to the plot development,” Lin Yufen said with a beaming smile, taking Gu Qing's hand. “So you might need to communicate with your makeup artist regarding the look. I hope you won't mind.”

“Of course not. You are the director; I will certainly follow your lead,” Gu Qing replied, suppressing a laugh.

Honestly, seeing Li Li behind Lin Yufen, her eyes were practically sparking with intensity; it was quite comical.

Following the requirements, Gu Qing changed into the first outfit: the black robe of the Demon Lord.

As soon as he stepped out of the changing area, the eyes of the women in the room lit up.

Men might like looking at beautiful girls as they age, but women were the same—who wouldn't love looking at a handsome man?

The material of Gu Qing's black robe was silk-based, with subtle dark patterns of flames and vines embroidered on the surface. The collar and cuffs were trimmed with silver thread, and the shoulders were slightly padded to emphasize a sense of majesty and authority.

As he walked, the robe had a heavy, elegant drape, and his waist was cinched by a wide, metallic-textured belt inlaid with dark red gems or skull reliefs.

The overall style: dark, cold, and noble!

“Cold and aloof, precious and dignified, like frost and snow...”

“Handsome boy, if those female viewers aren't mesmerized by you, then my directing skills are lacking!” Lin Yufen let out a stream of praise.

She then turned to the makeup artist: “This outfit is mainly used for formal occasions in the drama. Black symbolizes the Demon Lord's coldness and power—for example, when he is leading the Seven Kill Hall or confronting the Immortal Realm. I want to ask you to emphasize his cold and stern side through the makeup.”

“No problem.”

Sister Xu was full of energy. She pressed Gu Qing into the chair and began her battle: “To make someone look cold, contouring is vital. We need to use dark contour under the cheekbones and along the jawline to enhance the bone structure and make it look harder...”

Gu Qing listened until he felt drowsy, while the women nearby were utterly captivated, crowding together to observe Sister Xu's technique.

An hour passed, and the makeup was freshly completed.

Woken from his daze, Gu Qing opened his eyes wide and looked at himself in the mirror.

“No, it's too harmless the moment he opens his eyes,” Lin Yufen said, caught between laughter and tears. “The audience will probably just call him 'cute' instead of seeing him as a world-destroying Demon Lord.”

The boy was perfect in every way, but he felt too approachable, lacking any sense of distance or estrangement. He looked like a well-behaved student from his school days—a face that inspired either a protective instinct or a desire to tease him.

“Director, it's not that my makeup skills are lacking; it's just that these watery eyes limit my performance,” Sister Xu said helplessly, lightly stroking Gu Qing's almond eyes with her finger.

“He has a feminine beauty in a male face...”

As someone from Hong Kong, a legendary image suddenly flashed through Lin Yufen's mind. “How about this? Draw a line at the outer corners of his eyes!”

“Right! That way, the almond eyes will turn into phoenix eyes!”

Sister Xu readily picked up an eyebrow pencil to trace the line.

With two strokes, Gu Qing's entire aura changed completely.

In the mirror, the natural moisture of his almond eyes was replaced by the long, sharp elegance of phoenix eyes. When he stared at the mirror, his pupils constricted slightly, possessing the deadly calm of a predator locking onto its prey.

His pale complexion formed an extreme contrast with the dark clothing, and those bewitching phoenix eyes paired perfectly with his ascetic, thin lips—this sense of contradiction was exactly like the setting of Sha Qianmo

“The number one beauty of the Six Realms!”

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(End of Chapter)